Everything’ll be Fine Together! Peer Support in the Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study

Objective: This study aims to examine the effects of a peer support program implemented for Health Sciences Faculty students who were isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic on their levels of loneliness, stigma, and anxiety. Methods: The study was conducted using a mixed-methods design between September 2020 and February 2022. The quantitative component included a sample of 66 students. Data were collected before and after the peer support program using sociodemographic information form, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Stigma Scale, and the Epidemic Anxiety Scale. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were used for data analysis in group comparisons. In the qualitative component, individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 students selected through purposive sampling in a face-to-face setting. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with themes and subthemes identified. Results: The mean scores of the scales before and after the peer support program were, respectively, 15.18±2.57 and 14.56±2.48 for the UCLA Loneliness Scale, 38.69±11.00 and 35.66±11.47 for the Stigma Scale, and 50.50±13.36 and 46.24±15.69 for the Epidemic Anxiety Scale. After the program, there was a statistically significant decrease in the stigma and anxiety levels of the participants with peer support. The study identified two main themes: "Experiences related to the isolation process" and "Coping strategies during the isolation process." Conclusion: It is recommended to develop global peer support education programs to support students' well-being in disaster situations such as pandemics.